21 I did not send(A) these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,(B)
    they would have proclaimed(C) my words to my people
and would have turned(D) them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.(E)

23 “Am I only a God nearby,(F)
declares the Lord,
    “and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide(G) in secret places
    so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
    “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”(H)
declares the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies(I) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!(J) I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions(K) of their own minds?(L) 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget(M) my name, just as their ancestors forgot(N) my name through Baal worship.(O) 28 Let the prophet who has a dream(P) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word(Q) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,”(R) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer(S) that breaks a rock in pieces?

30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against(T) the prophets(U) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’(V) 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,(W)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray(X) with their reckless lies,(Y) yet I did not send(Z) or appoint them. They do not benefit(AA) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

33 “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message(AB) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake(AC) you, declares the Lord.’ 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message(AD) from the Lord,’ I will punish(AE) them and their household. 35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’(AF) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort(AG) the words of the living God,(AH) the Lord Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ 39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast(AI) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace(AJ)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”

Two Baskets of Figs

24 After Jehoiachin[a](AK) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs(AL) placed in front of the temple of the Lord. One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early;(AM) the other basket had very bad(AN) figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

Then the Lord asked me, “What do you see,(AO) Jeremiah?”

“Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent(AP) away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.[b] My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back(AQ) to this land. I will build(AR) them up and not tear them down; I will plant(AS) them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know(AT) me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people,(AU) and I will be their God, for they will return(AV) to me with all their heart.(AW)

“‘But like the bad(AX) figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah(AY) king of Judah, his officials(AZ) and the survivors(BA) from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.(BB) I will make them abhorrent(BC) and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword,(BD) a curse[c](BE) and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish(BF) them. 10 I will send the sword,(BG) famine(BH) and plague(BI) against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.(BJ)’”

Seventy Years of Captivity

25 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(BK) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar(BL) king of Babylon. So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah(BM) and to all those living in Jerusalem: For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah(BN) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,(BO) but you have not listened.(BP)

And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets(BQ) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.(BR) They said, “Turn(BS) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land(BT) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. Do not follow other gods(BU) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”

“But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused(BV) my anger with what your hands have made,(BW) and you have brought harm(BX) to yourselves.”

Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, I will summon(BY) all the peoples of the north(BZ) and my servant(CA) Nebuchadnezzar(CB) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy[d](CC) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,(CD) and an everlasting ruin.(CE) 10 I will banish from them the sounds(CF) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,(CG) the sound of millstones(CH) and the light of the lamp.(CI) 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,(CJ) and these nations will serve(CK) the king of Babylon seventy years.(CL)

12 “But when the seventy years(CM) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon(CN) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,[e] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate(CO) forever. 13 I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written(CP) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved(CQ) by many nations(CR) and great kings; I will repay(CS) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

The Cup of God’s Wrath

15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup(CT) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send(CU) you drink it. 16 When they drink(CV) it, they will stagger(CW) and go mad(CX) because of the sword(CY) I will send among them.”

17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent(CZ) me drink it: 18 Jerusalem(DA) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin(DB) and an object of horror and scorn,(DC) a curse[f](DD)—as they are today;(DE) 19 Pharaoh king(DF) of Egypt,(DG) his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20 and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;(DH) all the kings of the Philistines(DI) (those of Ashkelon,(DJ) Gaza,(DK) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 Edom,(DL) Moab(DM) and Ammon;(DN) 22 all the kings of Tyre(DO) and Sidon;(DP) the kings of the coastlands(DQ) across the sea; 23 Dedan,(DR) Tema,(DS) Buz(DT) and all who are in distant places[g];(DU) 24 all the kings of Arabia(DV) and all the kings of the foreign people(DW) who live in the wilderness; 25 all the kings of Zimri,(DX) Elam(DY) and Media;(DZ) 26 and all the kings of the north,(EA) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms(EB) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak[h](EC) will drink it too.

27 “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk(ED) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword(EE) I will send among you.’ 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink(EF), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! 29 See, I am beginning to bring disaster(EG) on the city that bears my Name,(EH) and will you indeed go unpunished?(EI) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword(EJ) on all(EK) who live on the earth,(EL) declares the Lord Almighty.’

30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:

“‘The Lord will roar(EM) from on high;
    he will thunder(EN) from his holy dwelling(EO)
    and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread(EP) the grapes,
    shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult(EQ) will resound to the ends of the earth,
    for the Lord will bring charges(ER) against the nations;
he will bring judgment(ES) on all(ET) mankind
    and put the wicked to the sword,(EU)’”
declares the Lord.

32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Look! Disaster(EV) is spreading
    from nation to nation;(EW)
a mighty storm(EX) is rising
    from the ends of the earth.”(EY)

33 At that time those slain(EZ) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered(FA) up or buried,(FB) but will be like dung lying on the ground.

34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(FC)
    roll(FD) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(FE) has come;
    you will fall like the best of the rams.[i](FF)
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
    the leaders of the flock no place to escape.(FG)
36 Hear the cry(FH) of the shepherds,(FI)
    the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
    for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
    because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion(FJ) he will leave his lair,
    and their land will become desolate(FK)
because of the sword[j] of the oppressor(FL)
    and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(FM)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 24:1 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
  2. Jeremiah 24:5 Or Chaldeans
  3. Jeremiah 24:9 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that they are cursed.
  4. Jeremiah 25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  5. Jeremiah 25:12 Or Chaldeans
  6. Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
  7. Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
  8. Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
  9. Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
  10. Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger

21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

23 Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?

24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.

32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.

34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.

35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

36 And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.

37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;

39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:

40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

24 The Lord shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

Then said the Lord unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the Lord, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.

10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;

The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the Lord hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.

They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:

And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.

11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.

14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.

15 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

17 Then took I the cup at the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the Lord had sent me:

18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;

19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;

20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,

22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,

23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,

25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,

26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.

29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.

30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.

32 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture.

37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

38 He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

The Man of Lawlessness

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(A) and our being gathered to him,(B) we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter(C)—asserting that the day of the Lord(D) has already come.(E) Don’t let anyone deceive you(F) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion(G) occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed,(H) the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God(I) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.(J)

Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?(K) And now you know what is holding him back,(L) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back(M) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed,(N) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth(O) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.(P) The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan(Q) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders(R) that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.(S) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.(T) 11 For this reason God sends them(U) a powerful delusion(V) so that they will believe the lie(W) 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.(X)

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,(Y) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[b](Z) to be saved(AA) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit(AB) and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you(AC) to this through our gospel,(AD) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm(AE) and hold fast to the teachings[c] we passed on to you,(AF) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,(AG) who loved us(AH) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage(AI) your hearts and strengthen(AJ) you in every good deed and word.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Or traditions

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Read full chapter

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts in you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
  2. Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  5. Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign

84 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.

10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Read full chapter

15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,(A)
    and a gentle tongue can break a bone.(B)

Read full chapter

15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Read full chapter